The words Mercedes-Benz and bargain are not often thought of as happy sentence companions, but either I’m missing something, or the latest Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ Electric Shooting Brake could be described as something of a bargain. The electric model starts from £40,150 for the CLA 200 range. That won’t get you a range of 439 miles, you would have to settle for 299 miles, which seems fair enough from a 58kWh battery. No doubt the aerodynamic shape plays a part here. You would need to move up to the CLA 250+ models for a range of up to 439 miles. Pick the range-topping four-wheel-drive 350 4Matic for sparkling performance (0-62mph in 5.0 sec compared with 6.8 sec for the 250+) and you might consider sacrificing a bit of driving range, down to a quoted 424 miles, for the extra performance.

Mercedes offers a comprehensive range of models with each available in Sport, Sport Executive, AMG Line Executive, Premium and Premium Plus. Our test vehicle, a CLA 250+ Electric AMG Premium Plus was listed at £56,075 OTR, which appears to be quite competitive. Standard equipment includes a 14-inch central display, 10.25-inch driver display, selfie and video camera with facial recognition, MBUX smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, adaptive cruise control, blind spot assist plus with Lane Keeping Assist, three driving modes, fixed panoramic sunroof, multi-source heat pump, front heated seats, single zone climate control and LED headlamps with adaptive high-beam assist. AMG Line Premium Plus equipment then adds upgraded adaptive LED headlamps, a Burmester 3D surround sound system, head-up display, two-zone automatic climate control, PRE-SAFE system, MB.DRIVE PARKING ASSIST 360, including 360-degree camera and a winter package. Options ran to two: a trailer coupling with ESP trailer stabilisation (£950), and a 400V DC charging system (£850).

All you need is the key in your pocket or somewhere about you and the car will let you in. You don’t need to switch it on, all you need to do once you’ve got yourself comfortable, is set up the sat-nav or whatever else is needed, switch into drive and go. A large screen sweeps across the car with drive-related information in front of the driver, who can select what they want to see. So a passenger could watch a video on the passenger side while the driver can configure what they want to see from the driving seat.

Our test route took us over some really poor-quality roads near Oxford, but the CLA handled these with a great deal of composure, most impressive. Since it’s an electric car it doesn’t lack for performance either and the long range would mean that you should be able to cover distances similar to an ICE-powered car between refuelling, helping to reduce the amount of charging needed on the public charging network.

Since it’s an estate car, it doesn’t lack for interior space, despite the sloping roof line. There are 455 litres of boot space with all seats upright or 1,290 with the second row folded. Then, there’s more space under the bonnet with plenty of space for the charging cable and a bag or two. If you prefer an estate car to an SUV and are in line for a premium car, the CLA Shooting Brake has a strong pull.